‘You should never disregard the importance and benefits of dealing with indie retailers’

Independent bricks and mortar retailers can make any technophobe feel comfortable with their purchase, says Entatech’s head of retail Alicia Shepherd.

With today’s technology it has never been simpler to buy products and receive them on our doorstep in a matter of days or, in some instances, hours.

Need a cable last minute to hook up your new smart TV? Got it.

We’re living in a world where we can have almost anything we want with the simple click of a mouse or tap of a phone screen.

The online experience has never been bigger, with more than 26 million items worldwide purchased daily from one of the world’s largest online retailers.

In the fast-paced world of computing, technology is evolving at a faster rate than ever before, and this is where the indie retailer can come into their own.

With their guidance and expert knowledge, they can make any technophobe feel comfortable with any purchase, safe in the knowledge that returns can be made to the retailer for follow on support and advice. That’s not necessarily something offered as easily by the pureplay online retailers.

Entatech has deep synergies with the independent resellers, and what’s important to the company, no matter what the needs of the customer may be.

With the passion driven by the independent owners, they are the experts in guiding and educating on new technologies and finding the right solution to fit – whether this is a bespoke PC, right up to a complex server cabling installation.

Never before has the importance of supporting local businesses been more apparent in the media and, in many cases, this may be the reason for some end users to opt to buy from an independent as opposed to a bigger name.

Here at Entatech, we acknowledge just how important these guys are – not just for us as a distributor – but for the channel as a whole.

We always ensure that all our customers, no matter how big or small, are treated according to their needs and requirements. We don’t impose a minimum spend criteria, and our online e-commerce site ensures they can purchase 24/7 with delivery available even on Saturdays.

There is certainly no denying the phenomenal success that the larger online partners have achieved, showing that this model clearly works.

But, it’s a fine balance between the convenience or the expert knowledge that independent retailers can provide to their customers, including the reassurance of face-to- face interaction – a key offering that indie retailer’s provide.

One should never disregard the importance and benefits of dealing with the indie retailer.

Alicia Shepherd is retail director at Entatech.
www.entatech.com